Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
4e's Inorganic Loot System: Yay or Nay?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Zinovia" data-source="post: 4371675" data-attributes="member: 57373"><p>I was rather surprised when I first read the treasure parcel system, but I think I'll come to like it provided that it's not followed blindly. If one of my players were ticking off treasure parcels, I'd smack him upside the head and tell him to stop meta-gaming (well, I'd have a monster smack his character - the monsters hit harder than I do.) I'm also not sure about wish-lists for items. I'm more inclined to choose items that I think the characters would like and want to use, and place them in the adventure. </p><p></p><p>I have no intentions of telling my players about the treasure parcel system. The treasure parcel mechanic is something that goes on behind the screen. Just as I won't take the time to explain the details of how encounters are designed, I won't be explaining how treasures are placed. It's not that I will go out of my way to keep that particular mechanic a secret from my players; I simply don't expect them to buy the DMG or to read it. They really don't need to. Of all of them, only my husband DM's, and he already knows about it. He's not going to give me grief if the characters don't receive every parcel due them, or if they get two items of the same level in the course of an adventure. If any of the players were to meta-game to the extent of ticking off parcels from a list, a simple statement of "They're more guidelines than actual rules" would suffice. </p><p></p><p>I honestly don't think they will see anything different in the way that treasure is handed out compared to how it's always been. I'll be dividing up the parcels in ways that make sense to me, putting small amounts of coin on more creatures, so there will not be 10 discrete parcels. Certainly the DMG recommends mixing it up in that way. Furthermore, if they don't search for stuff, they will be missing out on some treasure - primarily monetary in nature. If a particular magic item can be used by one of the foes, then it's far better off being worn/used in combat, keeping the magic threshold in mind. Having their enemy use a special power from an item will definitely pique the interest of the characters. As for items the NPC's have, such as the wyrmpriest's staff, I'm going with the explanation that it's just a staff, the magic is in the priest, not the implement. </p><p></p><p>The system will make it much easier to figure out treasure, and to keep it balanced by the rules. If I want a reduced magic game, I can figure out how far below the curve I am, and reduce creature stats by an appropriate amount to compensate. I've always played in lower magic games, so to me getting 4 permanent magic items for the party at first level *seems* really powerful. We only ever got potions, scrolls, wands and other consumable items at that low a level. Certainly 1st level in 4E is more like 3rd or 4th level in prior editions, so perhaps the magic needs to be considered in light of that. I may try it out as written, just to see how it plays. The players will think I'm a Monty Haul GM compared to my hubby though. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Zinovia, post: 4371675, member: 57373"] I was rather surprised when I first read the treasure parcel system, but I think I'll come to like it provided that it's not followed blindly. If one of my players were ticking off treasure parcels, I'd smack him upside the head and tell him to stop meta-gaming (well, I'd have a monster smack his character - the monsters hit harder than I do.) I'm also not sure about wish-lists for items. I'm more inclined to choose items that I think the characters would like and want to use, and place them in the adventure. I have no intentions of telling my players about the treasure parcel system. The treasure parcel mechanic is something that goes on behind the screen. Just as I won't take the time to explain the details of how encounters are designed, I won't be explaining how treasures are placed. It's not that I will go out of my way to keep that particular mechanic a secret from my players; I simply don't expect them to buy the DMG or to read it. They really don't need to. Of all of them, only my husband DM's, and he already knows about it. He's not going to give me grief if the characters don't receive every parcel due them, or if they get two items of the same level in the course of an adventure. If any of the players were to meta-game to the extent of ticking off parcels from a list, a simple statement of "They're more guidelines than actual rules" would suffice. I honestly don't think they will see anything different in the way that treasure is handed out compared to how it's always been. I'll be dividing up the parcels in ways that make sense to me, putting small amounts of coin on more creatures, so there will not be 10 discrete parcels. Certainly the DMG recommends mixing it up in that way. Furthermore, if they don't search for stuff, they will be missing out on some treasure - primarily monetary in nature. If a particular magic item can be used by one of the foes, then it's far better off being worn/used in combat, keeping the magic threshold in mind. Having their enemy use a special power from an item will definitely pique the interest of the characters. As for items the NPC's have, such as the wyrmpriest's staff, I'm going with the explanation that it's just a staff, the magic is in the priest, not the implement. The system will make it much easier to figure out treasure, and to keep it balanced by the rules. If I want a reduced magic game, I can figure out how far below the curve I am, and reduce creature stats by an appropriate amount to compensate. I've always played in lower magic games, so to me getting 4 permanent magic items for the party at first level *seems* really powerful. We only ever got potions, scrolls, wands and other consumable items at that low a level. Certainly 1st level in 4E is more like 3rd or 4th level in prior editions, so perhaps the magic needs to be considered in light of that. I may try it out as written, just to see how it plays. The players will think I'm a Monty Haul GM compared to my hubby though. :D [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
D&D Older Editions
4e's Inorganic Loot System: Yay or Nay?
Top